Just Friends

by lonewolf.007

Chapter 4

When Applejack opened her eyes the next morning, excitement coursed through her. Rainbow… Applejack sat up and looked about her, taking in her room, filled with the warm rays of sun. Stretching, she trotted to the bathroom for the usual ritual. This time, looking in the mirror, the pony that looked back at her wasn't sad-eyed. It was brighter, livelier than it had been in a long time.

Yet the work pony could sense an accompanying feeling with her excitement. A sense of anxiety. Anxious about seeing Rainbow, anxious about how she'd react to seeing Applejack again. She had no idea why Rainbow had left so suddenly, and somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered if she was the reason.

Shaking her head, the cowpony washed her face and hooves, before returning to her room for her Stetson. Walking downstairs, she saw that, this time, Applebloom was awake as well as Big Macintosh. Both turned when Applejack entered, concern on their faces as they regarded their sister.

"Heya, big sis, are y'all feelin' alright?" Applebloom had a less prominent southern accent than her sister but it was still there.

"Hay there, Applebloom. I'm mighty fine jus' now." She turned to her older brother. "Mornin' Big Mac."

"Mornin' Applejack. Y'all can take the day off if ya like, what with the events happenin' jus' now." Big Mac was cooking breakfast again, but Applejack knew that her brother was worried for her, and wanted to give her time to see Rainbow. Stubborn pony though, she couldn't take that, and she also felt nervous about seeing Rainbow. A part of her wanted to have a reason so she didn't have to visit the hospital.

"Awww, it's alrigh' there, big bro. Thanks fer the offer, but Ah'll go and take care of 'em apple trees. Ah can't just stop mah chores."

"Are ya sure, AJ?" Applebloom chimed in, looking up from where she sat at the table. "Ya can go visit Rainbow Dash now!"

"Nah, Ah'll do the applebucking. Plus, Ah can go see her when Ah'm done in the afternoon."

She didn't know why, but Applejack didn't want to go see Rainbow. Not yet. And she couldn't just leave all the work to her brother. He was a hard working pony, who only too often let AJ off when something came up. Tucking into fresh apple pie, the blonde-maned pony ate her fill before heading into the orchards. Grabbing the cart and the baskets, Applejack started to work.

When the lunch bell rang, Applejack bucked the last tree in the field. She'd cleared about three quarters of the farm in record time. Pulling the cart in, she unloaded the apples and joined her family for lunch. The plates of hay sandwiches piled high, with freshly squeezed apple juice and caramelised apple.

Applejack sat down at the table and took a sandwich, hungry from the morning's work. Granny Smith was up now, sitting in her rocking chair and chewing slowly on a sandwich. Applebloom would be eating her lunch at school right now, only leaving AJ and her brother. Big Mac took a seat and, grabbing a sandwich, turned to his sister. After finishing it in a few quick bites, he swallowed and took another.

"Applejack, why don't ya head on off ter town after lunch? Ah can take whatever's left, ya've worked mighty hard this mornin'."

"It's ok, Big Mac. Ah got this. There's only one field left ta go, it'll be done in a jiffy."

For once, Big Mac didn't just take it with his trademark reply. Instead, he put his sandwich down and looked at his stubborn sister. "Lil' sis, ya've done plenty. Y'all should visit yer friend Rainbow Dash. Leave the last field ta me. Ya need ta see her."

Applejack looked up at the big red colt, and knew he wouldn't agree to let her work anymore. He had her best interests at heart, and would always look out for her. With a sigh, Applejack conceded defeat. "Alrigh'. Ah'll leave the last field to ya, if y'all insist."

"Eeyup."

AJ finished her sandwich and drained her glass of apple juice. She wasn't feeling all that hungry anymore, and declined seconds. It was as if a whole lot of Fluttershy's butterflies had decided to take flight in her stomach. Deciding that she may as well do something about it, and go see Rainbow, Applejack got up.

"Thanks, Big Mac. Fer everythin'."

"Eeyup."

Suddenly Granny Smith spoke up, "'ere, take some o' them caramelised apples fer yer rainbow friend."

Remembering the hospital food Rainbow would have to eat, Applejack realised it was an excellent idea. "That's a great idea, Grandma! Ah'll jus' grab a box to put 'em in."

"Eh? Wha's tha'? Soups on…" the elderly pony mumbled a few more words before falling asleep.

Applejack smiled at her the old green pony, before turning to grab a box and putting some of their famous caramelised apple and a slice of apple pie into a box. She placed it into a saddle pouch, and flipped it onto her back. Waving at her brother, Applejack made her way out of the farm and on to the road to town.

"Abou' time she wen' ta see her rainbow friend," Granny Smith remarked.

"Eeyup."

"Wha's tha' y'all said? Ah know soups on…"

Applejack moved along the path to town, alternating between galloping and dragging her feet. She didn't know which she wanted more. To see Rainbow or not. But soon enough, Ponyville town square loomed up, and she was making her way across town to the Ponyville Hospital.

"Hay, Applejack! Applejack, Applejack, Applejack!" A voice called out from behind her, and she turned to see a pink pony bouncing up the road.

"Well, hay there, Pinkie Pie," Applejack smiled at the energetic pony's antics. It was impossible not to, especially when the crazy pony was wearing her party hat and a huge number of balloons were tied around her flank. "What exactly are ya doin' there?"

"Huh? Oh! I was bringing stuff to make Dashie's room look better! It's so white, and plain, and boring, and–"

A hoof stopped Pinkie from rambling on. "Ah get it Pinkie, tha's mighty nice an' kind of y'all ta do tha'."

"Yeah!" Pinkie giggled excitedly. "Hay, where were you this morning? We were all here, and you weren't and Rainbow Dash was wondering where you were–"

Another hoof over Pinkie's mouth made her stop again. "R-rainbow was wonderin' where Ah was?"

"Ermff yerghf courf yagf wermf gremf." Pinkie said with AJ's hoof still in her mouth.

Applejack's hoof dropped, and her heart beat faster. Rainbow had wondered where she was. She wanted to see her. Was asking after her… Applejack quickly shook her head. No, she was just wondering where Applejack was. It was nothing big. It wasn't like it meant anything. But it mus' mean she doesn't have anythin' agains' me, right? Applejack was more nervous than ever. Her heart pounding and her knees felt weak. Pull yerself together, AJ. Ya can't keep fallin' apart like this. This isn't like yerself at all. Now go in there and see how Rainbow's doin'.

"Come on, Applejack! What are we waiting for! Let's make Dashie's room super-duper-alleyooper awesome!" Pinkie bounced through the doors, taking her stream of balloons with her. What are ya waitin' fer, AJ. Let's go. Applejack stepped through the doors of the hospital, nodding at the receptionist as she passed. Pushing her way through the double doors, Applejack could hear the blood pound in her ears. Two doors down, to the left, the door was open. And she could hear a certain someone's tom-coltish voice coming through it. She took a huge breath, slowly letting it out. Without further ado, the orange Stetson-clad pony walked right up and through the door.

Rainbow Dash was sitting up in bed, looking annoyed, as she always was whenever she was stuck in the hospital from one of her tricks gone wrong. Pinkie Pie was bouncing around, and Applejack took a breath in at the sight of the room. It was transformed, and everything looked three times brighter, with the riot of colours that were classic Pinkie-style decorations. Fluttershy and Twilight were trying to tell Rainbow to relax and rest, but the brash, energetic Pegasus would have none of that.

"But I feel FINE. I DON'T need to stay in the hospital!"

"Rainbow, you can't even walk without getting tired!" Twilight entreated.

"Pffffft, I CAN TOO walk without getting tired!"

"But Rainbow, you need to rest your wings, they were injured most… not to mention your other injuries…" Fluttershy spoke with her usual quiet voice.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Fluttershy, it's not that bad. Just a couple of scratches, ya know, the usual."

Twilight huffed in exasperation, before turning and seeing Applejack by the door. "Oh, hay Applejack! Good to see you!"

"Hay there, Twi', it's good to see you too…" Applejack's eyes met with those of the bed's occupant.

The room fell silent, as the two looked at each other for the first time in three years. Twilight cleared her throat, "Well, I better get going, I left Spike alone at the library again, I should check up on him. See you later, Rainbow!"

"See ya later, Twilight," Rainbow called back, and Twilight left.

One by one, the others followed suit, eventually leaving Applejack and Rainbow Dash alone in the room. Applejack pawed the ground a little nervously, looking at her hooves. Should Ah say somethin' first? Ah guess Ah should… but what do Ah say? Before she could think of anything, Rainbow beat her to it.

"Hay, Applejack. Where were ya this morning?"

Applejack looked up, locking eyes with the cyan Pegasus again. "Ah was buckin' the apple trees. Doin' the chores, y'all know…"

There was a certain amount of awkwardness between them, at least, Applejack felt like there was. The history between them, their agreement to remain just friends, the sudden departures… she wondered what Rainbow had seen, what she had been doing. But she couldn't ask her yet, they hadn't seen each other for so long. Had Rainbow changed?

"Still the same stubborn pony I know then?" Rainbow replied into the room's silence.

Applejack smiled a little at that. "Still the same stubborn pony. And what abou' y'all? Still the same confident Pegasus Ah know?"

Rainbow grinned. "Yep… except twenty per cent cooler."

Applejack chuckled. Yes, Rainbow was the same pony. Fast, brash, confident, impatient cyan Pegasus who hated doing nothing. Just like AJ. A silence fell between them, and Rainbow shifted a little in her bed. That's when Applejack saw the bandages that were wound around Rainbow's torso, one foreleg in a sling, the other bandaged up. And her wings, her beautiful wings, were covered in white gauze too, forming what looked like a splint to keep the wings set.

"Rainbow…" Applejack whispered, eyes wide, "What in tarnation were y'all doin'?"

Rainbow Dash followed Applejack's gaze to her bandaged body. "Oh… heh, it was nothing. I just crashed and stuff…"

Applejack looked at the winged pony sternly. She could always tell when Rainbow was lying, even if she wasn't the Element of Honesty. "Well, Ah was told by the good nurse here that y'all sustained some injuries that couldn' be contributed ta yer crash. So what do y'all have ta say abou' that?"

Rainbow looked uncomfortable. "Sorry, AJ… I can't tell you. Not right now. I promise I'll tell all of you another time. Just… not right now."

Rainbow looked so uncomfortable that Applejack immediately softened, "Of course, RD, 's alrigh'. Ah don't mean ta be pushin' ya inta tellin' me somethin'."

"Thanks, Applejack."

"'s alrigh'." Pause. "So, how long are y'all stuck in here fer?"

Rainbow slumped in her bed, wincing slightly as she jolted her wings. "I've gotta stay in here for at least another week. And I can't fly for a MONTH. A WHOLE MONTH. That means even after I leave the hospital, I gotta stay put for another THREE WEEKS. I just wanna get out of here already."

Applejack chuckled at Rainbow's customary inpatience. "Y'all live, sugarcube. Ah mean, us Earth ponies do it full time here on the ground. Three weeks will fly by real quick."

"Sorry, AJ. I didn't mean that. I just want to be able to do something. It's so BORING in the hospital." She lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, to demonstrate her point.

"Well, we'll all be aroun' and visitin' ya, and Pinkie Pie will probably organise somethin' or other. It'll be fine. Y'all be out before ya know it, Rainbow."

The Pegasus cracked a smile, and AJ felt her heart skip a beat. "Thanks a lot." She paused, as if unsure. "I missed you, AJ."

When those words hit her, and finally processed, Applejack felt a little giddy. Did she jus' say that, or am Ah imaginin' this? Or is this all jus' a dream? Realising that she should say something, the cowpony smiled back at the spectral wonder. "Ah missed y'all too, RD."

Note: Posted onto FiMFiction by Arby Works with permission from Lonewolf.007. All credit goes to him for his fanfic, please check it out here or on FanFiction.

Mr. Masato/Arby Works.

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